I asked some of our former students what their memories were of our summer retreats and it's been really cool to see what they remembered.
By the way, I've bolded a couple of the lines I thought were important...
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"Man... I used love those retreats. It was a great way to not only bond with everyone but really see and feel God's work through each of our lives. As a teenager, going to those retreats really felt like the ultimate escape from the pressures of home/school life. "
"Wow, having to think about those times makes me appreciate you and Ben so MUCH!!! Thank you for doing that for me back then. Ok, the best part for me were the circle talks. Just talking about how I could better myself and strengthen my walk with with God. Although, those times got emotional it really felt like a break through for many of us.
"The games and activities were lots of fun too but the talks really helped mold me to who I am today. If only there was something for us at this age....I would be so down for that."
-Nona Ybarra
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"Retreat was a chance to experience life with other believers my age. A youth group is a unique social group because you don’t necessarily see the people there in any other group. The people in youth group aren’t all the same people I go to school with, work with, live near. So in order to build lasting relationships it was important to have experiences together.
"Summer retreats were packed with experiences that were fun, meaningful, and challenging. The relationships strengthened during retreat were so important. When I went to school and was with my friends who weren’t a part of the ‘church bubble’ it was easier to walk out my faith because even though I was alone in the moment, I wasn’t alone in life. There is a loving God and fellow youth who would understand and support me.
"Retreats were special times to get away and focus on God and build relationships with others. I am grateful to have been a part of many youth retreats."
-Amie Santiago
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